Luxury Curious country homes
Here lies a kingdom where chandeliers hang from trees, bookcases lead to secret rooms and real-life wishing wells await. No dream too big no dreamer too small.
Homes of makers, artists and bon vivants, here lie escapes made by those who dare to dream beyond the realms of normality. Each home within this collection holds a story. Some that can be told and others that will remain unearthed, like diamonds buried deep beneath the earth's surface. In one, an eccentric Welsh stamp collector lived, his hundreds of stamps purportedly lost in a house fire and last seen billowing out of the chimney like confetti over the hills of Snowdonia.
In another, concealed by Italian-inspired gardens, a famous London dandy created his secret retreat from society, only discovered decades later in a forgotten Devon valley. Like all fairytales, in each narrative lies a moral to be discovered. So throw caution to the wind, dive down that rabbit hole and explore wonderlands created by some of Britain's biggest dreamers.
The Palladian
Ampney Crucis, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Georgian in style and grand in nature, this self-catering Cotswold manor offers a true countryside escape perfect for multi-generational groups.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests (6 adults and 6 children)
From: £4,550 per week, £3,295 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool and hot tub (both May - September), gym, tennis court, trampoline, small football pitch, table tennis and tree house
Winterfell
Windermere, The Lake District, Cumbria, UK
In a land far, far away, nestled between the majestic mountains and forested hills of the Lake District, lies this luxury private lake home near Lake Windermere in Ulverton.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
From: £3,750 per week, £2,795 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Fire pit
The Railway House
Crowcombe, The Quantock Hills, Somerset, UK
Emerging from beneath a railway bridge, one enters another world at The Railway House; a world where finesse, peace and leisurely days reign.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £2,250 per week, £1,695 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Castle India
Antony Passage, Tamar Valley, Cornwall, UK
Fantastical, extravagant and sublimely positioned at the edge of Cornwall’s luscious Tamar Valley, pass through the gates of Castle India and enter a world of pure imagination.
Sleeps: Up to 18 guests
From: £8,995 per week, £6,750 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Outdoor natural pool (available May - September), pool house, fire pit, ping pong table, football goals and trampoline
Huntlington House
Great Witley, Worcester, Worcestershire, UK
A classic 17th century Jacobean hunting lodge with a glam rock heart, Huntlington House is a luxury Worcestershire manor with indoor pool and wellness spa, tennis court and children's play area.
Sleeps: Up to 14 guests
From: £8,250 per week, £6,195 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 8 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Indoor heated pool, sauna, steam room, hot tub, gym, tennis court, hedge maze, outdoor children´s play area and outdoor kitchen
The Artist´s Retreat
Michaelstow, Wadebridge, Cornwall, UK
Between the moors and sea in mystical North Cornwall, where folklore and truth twist to forge history, a bohemian country home with an outdoor heated pool awaits.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
From: £2,895 per week, £2,095 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Outdoor swimming pool (heated June - September), outdoor ping pong table, fire pit, croquet lawn, badminton
Rhapsody
A utopia of surreal garden sculptures, topsy-turvy architecture and glass-like pools, Rhapsody has fallen head first through the rabbit hole and landed in the heart of Wonderland.
Sleeps: Up to 12 (10 adults and 2 children)
From: £13,250 per week, £9,995 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool (May - September), with jet stream, sunken hot tub, yoga studio, glass reading room overhanging the pond, cinema room, games room (with pool table, darts, table tennis and table football)
Cadence
A 70’s sci-fi film was the unlikely inspiration for this playful modern retreat. Award-winning for its design and settled within poetic South Downs scenery; this architect's private home is a fine example of the new English country house.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
From: £5,495 per week, £3,995 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved pets are welcome
Gulliver´s Hall
Bisley, Stroud, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Blending ancestral tales with elegant maximalism, Gulliver's Hall brings vitality to the soul; this is a secluded luxury self-catering Cotswold farmhouse where escape where escapism and comfort are key.
Sleeps: Up to 21 guests
From: £8,495 per week, £6,395 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 15 & Up to 6 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome on prior request
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool (April-October), sunken spa bath, sauna, steam room, outdoor shower, outdoor kitchen with pizza oven, paella burner, games and cinema room, tennis court, croquet lawn
Pearl´s Place
Hugged by a scrambling rose garden and woodland glades, this rock 'n' roll home brings together traditional country chic with gorgeous faded glamour. A unique setting for special celebrations and self-catering escapes.
Sleeps: Up to 18 (14 adults and 4 children)
From: £10,595 per week, £8,450 per short break
Pets: Two small well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Wood-fired hot tub
The Maker´s House
High Wood, Saffron Walden, Essex, UK
Mediterranean vibes and an unabashed celebration of life’s greatest pleasures meet here in the Saffron Walden countryside, creating a luxury homestay which will transport you far from the rhythms of everyday life.
Sleeps: Up to 14 guests
From: £5,950 per week, £4,550 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 10 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Heated outdoor pool (available from late May to early September), hot tub, outdoor kitchen, cinema, football table, dart board
Midsummer Wood
Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
This magical Cotswolds millhouse calls you to run wild in private woodland, get lost amidst secret wildflower meadows, dive into a 12-metre indoor pool and unfurl within lavish Jacobean interiors.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
From: £5,995 per week, £4,495 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Indoor heated swimming pool, two steam rooms, tennis court and games room with ping pong, gym and large TV
Little Red Lock
Claydon, Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK
An English country home that truly embraces its idiosyncrasies, Little Red Lock's wooden picket fence and waterfront position on the Oxford canal oozes tranquillity, while inside its brick walls, a carnival of eclectic rustic charm awaits.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,995 per week, £1,495 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub, fire pit, kayaks and life jackets for the canal
Anthology Farm
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
With acres of space and oodles of old stone style, these two traditional barns in the heart of the Cotswolds are perfect for large family gatherings or big celebrations.
Sleeps: Up to 18 guests
From: £8,995 per week, £7,195 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 10 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Heated indoor swimming pool, cinema room, tennis court, table tennis, gym equipment, purpose built yoga studio and electric car charging point
The Pandy House
Rowen, Conwy, Snowdonia, Wales, UK
Accessed via a private bridge crossing the Afon Roe, in a world of its own, this mill turned luxury family home in Snowdonia has a personality as big as the national park itself. A perfect cacophony of colour, flamboyance and witty details.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests (8 adults and 2 children)
From: £3,850 per week, £2,895 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome
Features: Wood-fired hot tub, summer house games room, outdoor kitchen area
Castle on the Well
Charles, South Molton, Exmoor, Devon, UK
Fusing luxurious shooting lodge appeal with a modern country twist, Castle on the Well hides within a patchwork of rolling Devonshire countryside, on the edge of Exmoor National Park. A unique luxury castle in miniature for a family holiday to remember.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £2,095 per week, £1,550 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
Pets: One small to medium well-behaved dog is welcome and two on prior request
Features: Fire pit
Dandelion
Kempsford, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Traditional on the outside, but with flamboyance and flair within, this luxury Grade II listed manor with a hot tub near the Cotswolds has a rambunctious makeup of rich colour, bold patterns, and unteachable taste.
Sleeps: Up to 14 guests (12 adults and 2 children)
From: £5,995 per week, £4,495 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 18 guests
Pets: Pets are considered on request
Features: Wood-fired hot tub and DJ decks
Ellesmera Mill
This enchanting 400 year old millhouse is chock-full of old-world charm. Set in the South Hams near Dartmouth, the dreamy south Devon coast is almost within touching distance and a short stroll through the valley leads to the sheltered cove of Blackpool Sands.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
From: £3,450 per week, £2,995 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Wood-fired hot tub, sauna, cinema room with table football
Charity
Black Mountains, Herefordshire, UK
Modern rusticity, clever artistry and divine seclusion combine to make Charity the ultimate wild retreat for friends and family gatherings; set down a winding mountain road in the Olchon Valley near the Brecon Beacons.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
From: £3,395 per week, £2,550 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Wood-fired hot tub, sauna, outdoor shower, outdoor pizza oven, table tennis, snooker room, cinema barn and badminton lawn
Ariabelle
Iping, West Sussex, UK
Found at the end of a sweeping tree-lined drive, Ariabelle is the ultimate private country house, affording a luxury stay with lavish indoor pool and all the trimmings, all wrapped up within glorious South Downs countryside.
Sleeps: Up to 14 guests
From: £17,500 per week, £13,995 per short break
Pets: Pets are welcome on prior agreement
Features: Indoor heated swimming pool, hot tub, tennis court, steam room and sauna, gym and bar
The Ruby Barn
Sandford St Martin, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, The Cotswolds, UK
Bringing a touch of Californian chicness to the Oxfordshire countryside, this luxury Cotswold stone barn conversion has been fashioned with soul.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £2,250 per week, £1,695 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Children´s play area with slide
Viola
Butleigh, Glastonbury, Somerset, UK
Between the rolling hills of Somerset, not far from Glastonbury, lies Viola, a luxury home of two wildly different personalities.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
From: £9,995 per week, £7,495 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 8 guests
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome or two on request
Features: Spa Jacuzzi, sauna, swimming pool (available May- September inclusive), a fully equipped gym, cinema room, a lake, two full motion Formula 1 racing simulators, table tennis and a tennis court
Evania
Bentham, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Inspired by the colours and countryside of the Mediterranean, this Gloucestershire home with heated outdoor swimming pool and hot tub, is the perfect family retreat.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
From: £4,750 per week, £3,750 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 & Up to 4 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool (May - September), hot tub, games room with table football, pool table, table tennis and television
Fawn Wood
Hartfield, High Weald, East Sussex, UK
A treasure trove of enchanted stories and romantic entanglements, this unique luxury retreat started life as a granary and enjoys a sylvan setting on the edge of Winnie-the-Pooh's Ashdown Forest.
Sleeps: 6 (+2) guests
From: £3,150 per week, £2,395 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
Pets: Two pets are welcome
Features: Small-scale outdoor heated pool (available May - September inclusive), professional golf simulator and SimWay Hunt Pro shooting simulator (advance booking required, incurs an additional cost), outdoor pizza oven, chiminea
The Parsonage
A beautifully designed Grade-II listed old parsonage with stunning gardens, set on the outskirts of Ombersley in the rolling green Abberley Hills.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
From: £3,950 per week, £2,795 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 8 & Up to 4 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Tundra hot tub, gaming snug and Peloton bike
The Art House
Sutton, Pulborough, West Sussex, UK
An idyllic private retreat where art deco architecture sits in manicured lawns and wildflower meadows, you'll feel far removed from the everyday at The Art House with its outdoor pool, tennis court and natural swimming lake.
Sleeps: Up to 13 guests (12 adults and 1 child)
From: £9,995 per week
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome
Features: 17-metre heated outdoor swimming pool (June - September), sauna, 50-metre wild swimming lake with jetty, tennis court, air hockey, pool table and fire pit
The Find
Cranham, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Dynamic pairing of luxury architect-designed properties in a beautifully secluded valley location in the Cotswolds.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
From: £7,995 per week, £5,995 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome on prior request
Features: Trampoline, rowing boat
Roserai
A stately house in its own lush grounds with little luxuries inside and out that every weekender wishes for, this is one dream home that guests won't ever want to leave.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
From: £4,650 per week, £3,495 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
Pets: Two small well-behaved dogs or one large dog welcome on prior request
Features: Heated swimming pool (available May-September), hot tub, sauna, steam room and pool house
Maison Blanche
A luxury self-catering Grade II listed cottage which has stood the test of time since 1647, every corner breathes harmony and cheer while outside a hot tub bubbles under twinkling skies.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,850 per week, £1,350 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two small well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Wood-fired hot tub
Hummingbird House
Once home to a famous Edwardian music hall starlet, this unique luxury self-catering manor house near Lewes in East Sussex steals the show with her subtle glamour and undeniable grace.
Sleeps: Up to 7 guests
From: £1,850 per week
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: A hot tub in the garden, steam room shower, table tennis table
The Lost Music Hall
Created by a London dandy to serve as his secret retreat from society, this former music hall has been restored in all its Arts and Crafts glory to offer unique escapes in a hidden valley of Devon's South Hams AONB.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,995 per week, £1,595 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 & Up to 12 guests
Pets: Two pets are welcome
Features: Heated outdoor swimming pool (May-September) and games room with table tennis and darts
Eirianfa
Llanbedr-Dyffryn-Clwyd, Ruthin, Wales, UK
Cradled within a peaceful valley near Ruthin, this heart-stirring luxury cottage in Denbighshire boasts a games room with hot tub and a private lake, all set within 17 acres in North Wales.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
From: £1,995 per week, £1,450 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: One medium or two small well-behaved dogs are welcome on prior request
Features: Hot tub, bar, 50" TV, pool table, private lake
Forestkeepers
Fordingbridge, New Forest, Hampshire, UK
A bespoke treehouse, zip wire and outdoor swimming pool await discovery within the grounds, while a garden gate leads straight into the New Forest, tempting picnics in woodland glades, wild swimming and Gruffalo hunting.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests (8 adults and 4 children)
From: £3,850 per week, £2,895 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Heated outdoor swimming pool (available from the end of March to mid-October), treehouse, zipwire, trampoline, football goals, netball hoop, games room with air hockey and arcade machine, cinema room
Mill of Arun
Billingshurst, West Sussex, UK
A tranquil spot on the Arun River sets the scene for a grand self-catering getaway here in rural West Sussex. Throw in a magical four-story millhouse for the family, a romantic couples' barn and English topiary gardens - and the whole family are guaranteed a ball.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
From: £3,095 per week, £2,295 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub, two kayaks for the river, table football in the games room, fishing is available between June-March
Gaia Farmhouse
Ullswater, The Lake District, Cumbria, UK
A 16th century luxury self-catering farmhouse that has been lovingly restored to embrace the ebb and flow of seasonality; life is far from ordinary at Gaia Farmhouse.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
From: £4,250 per week, £3,195 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 & Up to 2 guests
Features: Children´s TV snug, table tennis, fire bowl
The Hop Store
Set within 150 acres of perfectly aligned hop yards, rolling meadows and juicy apple orchards, The Hop Store is idyllically situated on one of the last remaining hop farms in the UK.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
From: £1,795 per week, £1,350 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Hot tub and fire pit, heated garden room, games room with bar, pool table, dartboard and giant jenga
Clementine House
Hatfield Broad Oak, Bishop´s Stortford, Essex, UK
With a powder-blue front door, window shutters reminiscent of the Provence and delicate floral prints throughout the interiors, this luxury self-catering country home in rural Essex is postcard pretty both inside and out.
Sleeps: Up to 14 guests
From: £4,500 per week, £3,350 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Heated outdoor swimming pool (available April - September until 9pm daily), tennis court
Mulberry Mill
Billingshurst, West Sussex, UK
There’s something quite special about this romantic old mill on the River Arun. Sandwiched between the High Weald and South Downs AONB with beautiful topiary gardens, this charming country home on the edge of Billingshurst is a rural idyll.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,850 per week, £1,350 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
Pets: Two pets are welcome
Features: Canoes for the river, foosball room, fishing is available between June-March
Fernden Lane
Twisting blooms clambering around mullioned windows, an orchard bountiful with fruit and nuts and a Zen garden for mindful mornings of meditation; the grounds in which Fernden Lane so peacefully sits are a hidden slice of Eden just outside of sleepy Haslemere.
Sleeps: Up to 7 guests
From: £2,195 per week, £1,650 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Rydon
Trusham, Teign Valley, Devon, UK
Enjoy some time out at this contemporary self-catering barn dwelling squirrelled away in the picturesque Teign Valley, Devon.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,595 per week, £1,195 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome (must be kept on leads in the grounds)
Features: Heated pool (from 5th May to 29th September)
The Stack
Lying within a secluded valley overlooking the upper reaches of the magnificent Fal Valley in Cornwall, The Stack is a 19th century luxury self-catering engine house with a hot tub and al fresco kitchen that's sure to inspire those with a love for unique architecture, rough-luxe interiors, and beautiful gardens.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests (4 adults and 2 children)
From: £2,295 per week, £1,695 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Sunken hot tub, cinema room, al fresco kitchen with pizza oven
The Wilds
Crickhowell, Brecon Beacons, Wales, UK
This family home sat beneath the peaks of the Brecon Beacons has been sympathetically renovated into a countrified yet stylish abode, complete with a hot tub on the private sun terrace.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
From: £3,595 per week, £2,695 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 8 guests
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome
Features: Hot tub
Valency Wood
Lesnewth, Boscastle, Cornwall, UK
This stunning family-friendly self-catering cottage is in a rural location, yet within striking distance of the Cornish coastal villages of Tintagel, Boscastle and Crackington Haven.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,795 per week, £1,295 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
Pets: Three well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Jacuzzi hot tub
Morwell
Calstock, Tamar Valley, Cornwall, UK
Tenderly cosseted by the arms of the Tamar Valley AONB, this stylish luxury self-catering farmhouse with natural outdoor swimming pool enjoys 1.5 miles of private river frontage.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,795 per week, £1,650 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 8 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Table tennis, natural outdoor swimming pool (available July - September)
Wool Merchant´s House
Beckington, Frome, Somerset, UK
Classic and tasteful in style, with pops of modern artwork, a heated outdoor swimming pool and immaculate attention to detail, this Frome country home is an exquisite Somerset retreat.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
From: £4,250 per week, £3,395 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome
Features: Heated outdoor swimming pool (May - September inclusive)
